Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and his childhood idol, Rick Astley met each other a few years ago when they collaborated to brew the beer ‘Astley’s Northern Hop Lager.’ Out of their friendship, the idea of opening a bar together in London grew.

This idea will come to life when Rick Astley and Mikkel Borg Bjergsø open the doors to Mikkeller Bar London on 19 October. Mikkeller has had London on the radar for several years, but has been waiting for the the perfect facility and the right partner.

CEO and founder of Mikkeller, Bjergsø said, “We have finally found a fantastic location in the Shoreditch district that suits us perfectly. Meanwhile, we have been fortunate to get to know Rick Astley and his wife Lene Bausager Astley, so now we have also found the perfect partners.

“Of course, we always prefer to work together with people who have a driving force and heart. It’s a huge plus if we also have a personal relationship with them.”

In addition to the interest in beer, Astley and Bjergsø share the same vision of creating something new in London. The star, who has lived in London for over 30 years, is looking forward to opening the doors to a place that will stand out among the city's many beer places.

Astley said, “I met Mikkel back in 2015 - through his enthusiasm and passion for real quality, I have fallen back in love with beer. London is a great city but it needs a Mikkeller bar and it is really exciting to be part of creating Mikkeller's first bar in the UK with Mikkel and his fantastic team. I know we are going to have a lot of fun and drink some great beer!”

The bar will also stand out from other beer bars and pubs in London in regard to the design. The task has been taken by the Danish design bureau Femmes Régionales. Their design team has already designed a number of Mikkellers bars.

The opening of Mikkeller Bar London will be celebrated with a special opening event. The duo also plans to brew a new beer together, which is to be launched at the opening.